Arsenal Flood The Opening Half With 4-0 Win Over Wigan Athletic To Reach FA Cup Fifth Round

Arsenal reached the FA Cup fifth round in dominant style, beating Wigan Athletic 4-0 at the Emirates Stadium after racing into a four-goal lead inside 27 minutes. The early surge made Arsenal the first Premier League side to net four times within the opening half-hour of an FA Cup tie.

That explosive spell featured three different scorers and an own goal, reflecting Arsenal's attacking depth in the cup. Wigan, still without a permanent manager after Ryan Lowe's dismissal last week, struggled to cope but limited the damage after the break as Arsenal controlled the remainder of the match.

Gabriel Martinelli again proved central to Arsenal's FA Cup form. Martinelli scored for the fourth time in this season's competition, adding to the hat-trick recorded against Portsmouth in the third round. Martinelli is the first Arsenal player with four goals in a single FA Cup campaign since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2019-20.

Across all cups in 2025-26, Martinelli's numbers contrast with league form. Martinelli has just one goal in 20 Premier League outings, yet has scored 10 times in 13 appearances across the FA Cup, EFL Cup and Champions League. That output underlines Arsenal's reliance on Martinelli's finishing in knockout fixtures.

The match story hinged on Arsenal's rapid start, with Eberechi Eze silencing recent criticism through two early assists. First, Eze set up Noni Madueke for a calm side-footed strike. Soon after, Eze released Martinelli, who drove into the box from the left and guided a low effort into the far corner.

Arsenal had needed adjustments even before kick-off when Riccardo Calafiori suffered an injury during the warm-up. Bukayo Saka stepped into the starting line-up and was quickly involved. Saka delivered a dangerous cross for the third goal, which Jack Hunt diverted beyond goalkeeper Sam Tickle for an unfortunate own goal.

Arsenal FA Cup display and supporting cast

The fourth goal arrived shortly after as Christian Norgaard split the Wigan defence with a precise pass. Gabriel Jesus timed the run, broke clear and lifted a composed finish over Tickle. By the 27th minute, Arsenal's advantage was secure, allowing more measured game management in the second half.

After the interval, Arsenal rotated, with Viktor Gyokeres replacing Saka and almost adding a fifth. Gyokeres struck the base of the near post with a powerful attempt. Eze drove into the side netting, while Martinelli had a close-range header brilliantly stopped by Tickle as Wigan battled to prevent further goals.

Wigan also carved out chances, though they rarely troubled Arsenal's control. Kepa Arrizabalaga produced a sharp save to keep out Joe Taylor, preserving the clean sheet. It was the first time on Opta's record, dating back to at least 2013-14, that Wigan conceded four goals before half-time in any match.

Arsenal's statistical dominance matched the scoreline, winning the expected goals battle by 2.35 to 0.36. The performance extended their strong modern FA Cup record and mirrored the 2019-20 run, the last season Arsenal both reached the fifth round and lifted the trophy, with Aubameyang then leading the scoring.

4 - Arsenal are the first Premier League team (from 1992-93) to score four goals in the opening 30 minutes of an FA Cup game. Domination.

Key numbers from the match underline Arsenal's control and Wigan's difficult evening.

The result confirmed Arsenal's progress and highlighted important storylines for the season. Eze answered criticism with two assists, Martinelli's cup scoring streak continued, and Jesus added confidence with a composed finish. Wigan's search for a new manager goes on, with the team now needing a response in league competition.